Written by Carolyn Quinn Reisman, Your Birth Journey: A Holistic Guide for Pregnancy is a centerpiece for prenatal care.
Your Birth Journey is tailored to fit the needs of both parents and midwives by integrating the many prompts that guide clinical decision-making, care, and discussion on a variety of topics. The book’s chapters correlate with regularly scheduled prenatal discussions and “checklists.” Parents don’t miss a beat, and midwives and other providers can feel confident that every topic is covered thoroughly. Parents absolutely love the guidance!
Getting off to a good start is essential for mothers. When they find a positive result on the pregnancy strip, they often call a provider right away to make their first appointment. Your Birth Journey focuses on what care looks like with a midwife who practices in out-of hospital settings.
Mothers have one thing in common in the second trimester: they are a couple of weeks or more outside of the “nausea window” of the first trimester and are more likely to talk about food. This chapter also introduces alternative therapies, environmental toxins, and exercise.
The life of newborns revolves around getting fed, so it is not too early for parents to educate themselves on all aspects of breastfeeding. Lining up lactation support, watching latch videos, joining a breastfeeding group, and sitting down to a good book on breastfeeding are just some of the things Your Birth Journey encourages a mother to do.
Learning about important and sometimes controversial issues about baby and parenting in the early months of pregnancy will give parents more time to make informed and thoughtful decisions. It will also open up a dialogue with the midwife who can assist them with the resources they may need.
Time to gear up! This chapter helps parents prepare for the supplies they may need for their birth and for their baby. This chapter also encourages parents to have a reliable support system in place, both before and after baby comes. It is one of the most important ingredients for the health and wellness of mother and baby.
The age-old question of “when to call the midwife” is never easy to answer. This chapter helps parents identify signs of labor, timing contractions, and coping measures for labor. Parents are reminded that each midwife will have a perfect system in place for reaching them, day or night.
Parents appreciate knowing what turns their labor or birth could take. When they are educated and aware of all of their labor and birth options, learning about complications and transport becomes part of the process.
All over the world, cultures have ‘lying in’ periods for mothers, a time that they remain inside resting and recovering from childbirth, often up to 30 days or longer. The first two weeks are especially important, as the mother is establishing her milk production, gaining as much rest as possible, and nourishing herself physically, mentally, and emotionally while she bonds with baby.
It can be frustrating for some women to see their due date come and go. The last chapter of the book takes a look at the evidence for postdates management. It is reassuring to parents as they navigate their options and feelings during their last few weeks of pregnancy.
Birth is just the beginning. It signifies the start of the fourth trimester for the family. This period of tremendous developmental change for baby and postpartum recovery for mom lasts three months. Being prepared for this trimester is of utmost importance.
We are committed to a midwifery model of care that is sustainable. Our program provides tools to midwives to reach that goal and transform their practices into an equitable experience for both themselves and the parents they serve.
